1 Kings.
1 Kings KWL.
1 Kings 18.
21 Elijah came down to all the people and said, “For how long will you dance on two crutches?
If the LORD is God, walk with him. If Baal, walk with him.”
The people didn’t respond to his word.
22 Elijah told the people, “I’m the LORD’s only prophet left. Baal’s prophets are 450 men.
23 Give us two calves. They pick one calf.
They butcher it, place it on the sticks—and don’t set it afire.
I do likewise to one calf: I place it on the sticks—and I don’t set it afire.
24 You call in your god’s name. I call in the LORD’s name.
It’ll be the god who responds with fire: He is God.”
The people responded, “Good word.”
25 Elijah told Baal’s prophets, “Choose one calf for yourselves.
Go first, because you’re many. Call in your god’s name. Set no fire.”
26 They received the calf given them, and did it:
They called in Baal’s name from morning to midday, saying, “Baal, answer us!”
No sound. No answer. They “limped” round the altar they made.
27 When it became midday, Elijah threw insults at them, saying,
“You have to call with a louder voice! For he’s a god!
For he meditates! For he’s in the toilet! For he went out!
What if he’s asleep, and he needs to be awakened?”
28 They called with a louder voice.
They ritually cut themselves with knives and spears, till blood poured out over them.
29 Afternoon came, and they prophesied till grain-offering time.
No sound. No answer. No one listening.
1 Kings 22.
1 Three years continued without a battle between Aram and Israel.
2 It was in the third year King Yehošafát of Judea went down to Israel’s king.
3 Israel’s king told his slaves, “You know how Ramót-Gilád is ours?
Yet we do nothing to take it from Aram’s king’s hand.”
4 Israel’s king told Yehošafát, “Will you go with me to battle for Ramót-Gilád?”
Yehošafát told Israel’s king, “Like me, like you.
Like my people, like your people. Like my horses, like your horses.”
5 Yehošafát told Israel’s king, “When it’s morning, please ask for the LORD’s word.”
6 Israel’s king assembled the prophets; about 400 men.
He told them, “Do we go to Ramót-Gilád, to battle, or stop?
They said, “Go up. Our master God puts it into the king’s hand.”
7 Yehošafát said, “There’s no prophet here to witness for the LORD? Let’s consult him.”
8 Israel’s king told Yehošafát, “One man witnesses. Consult the LORD through him—but I hate him.
For he doesn’t prophesy good for me, but evil: Mikáyhu ben Yimlá.”
Yehošafát said, “Don’t say that, King.”
9 Israel’s king called to one eunuch and said, “Quick: Mikáyhu ben Yimlá.”
10 Israel’s king, and Judea’s king Yehošafát, sat down, each man to a throne, dressed in cloaks,
at Samaria’s gate, the threshing-floor entrance. All the prophets prophesied before them.
11 Chidqiyyá ben Khenana made himself iron horns and said, “The LORD says this:
Gore Aram with these till they’re destroyed.”
12 All the prophets prophesied like this, saying, “Go up to Ramót-Gilád.
Be successful. The LORD puts it into the king’s hand.”
13 The messenger who went to call Mikáyhu spoke to him, saying, “Look:
The prophets speak good for the king with one mouth.
Now your message must be like one of their messages. Speak good.”
14 Mikáyhu said, “By the LORD’s life, if it’s a message the LORD God speaks to me, I speak it.”
15 Mikáyhu came to Israel’s king.
The king told him, “Mikáyhu, do we go to Ramót-Gilád, to battle, or stop?”
Mikáyhu said, “Go up. Be successful. The LORD puts it in your hand.”
16 The king told Mikáyhu, “How many times must I put you under oath?
Tell me nothing but the truth, by the LORD’s name.”
17 Mikáyhu said, “I see all Israel scattered on the hills,
like a flock which has no one to shepherd them.
The LORD said, ‘No masters for them! Return each man to his house in peace.’ ”
18 Israel’s king told Yehošafát, “Didn’t I tell you?
He doesn’t prophesy good for me, but evil.”
19 Mikáyhu said, “So hear the LORD’s word. I see the LORD sitting down on his seat.
Heavens entire army stands round him, at his right and left hand.
20 The LORD says, ‘Who’s buggering Akháv, Israel’s king, so he attacks and fails at Ramót-Gilád?’
Ohe says, ‘I’ll do it like this,’ and another says, ‘I’ll do it like this.’
21 A spirit comes, stands before the LORD’s face, and says, ‘I’ll bugger him.’
22 The LORD says to it, ‘How?’
It says, ‘I go out and become like an untrue spirit in the mouths of all the prophets.’
The LORD says, ‘Go bugger him. You’ll also be successful. Go and do so.’
23 Now look: The LORD puts an untrue spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours.
The LORD speaks evil upon you.”